Leonardo da Vinci

by Callie Chester

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Italy. His parents were unmarried. His father's name was Piero da Vinci and his mother was a peasant woman named Caterina. Leonardo never attended public school. He studied in his father's home and was apprenticed by Andrea del Verrocchio when he was 15. Leonardo da Vinci is most well-known for his paintings but he was also a great engineer, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, scientist, and inventor.

The Mona Lisa is one of Leonardo's most famous paintings. The Mona Lisa is believed to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, painted between 1503 and 1506, although Leonardo may have continued working on it as late as 1517.

The Last Supper is another one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings. It represents the last meal shared by Jesus and his disciples.

Since he was such a good artist, Leonardo da Vinci collaborated with doctors in dissecting bodies to make sketches of the human anatomy.

Leonardo da Vinci also drew many sketches of inventions he had thought of. Some of these were various different hydraulic machines, flying machines, and tanks that could be used for war.